Buffer means for vehicle lateral motion mechanism



Jan. 8, 1946. G. A. slLvERsPARRE 2,392,516

BUFFER. MEANS FOR VEHCLE LATERAL MOTION MECHANISM v Filed Aprjl 27, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l ll l lv l

A TTORNE YS.

Jn 8,1946 G. A. slLvERsPARRE 2,392,616

BUFFER MEANS FOR VEHICLE LATERAL MOTIONVMECHANISM Filed April 27, 1944. 2, sheets-'Sheet 2 FJGLZ.,

` ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 8, 1946 BUFFER MEANS FOR VEHICLE MOTION MEGHANISM- Gustav .Arent Silversparre,gNar-berth, Pag assignorY to The. Pennsylvaniay RailroadCompany,-`

.fPliiladelph'im-k Pa., a. corporation oi Pennsylvania.v

Application April27, 1944. Serial No. 533,071

6 Claims.

Thisinvention relates"tobuier means for lateral motion mechanism on'railway vehicles such for example as locomotives, whereinVY a: certain amount of` lateral playfmust'l lie-allowed as between Wheel axles` on ilxed'centers andthfewvehicle underframes in order to facilitatel travel on curved track sections.

More specifically the-'invention has-to do with buffer' means usefuline connection with LateralA motion mechanism-of the -typedisclosed infU. Si Patent No.- 2,047.666f granted toJ; G. Blunt-on July'll,v 1936,v inwhich-the'wheel axle journal bearings aref-enclosed within" ahousing' capable of shifting` bodily'in openings in the side fra-mes of the vehicle.v VIn-the patented @construction the buillngy means extendscrosswise vfrom one side frame' of Ythe locomotive -tothe other and thus take-up spacecentrally of the vehicle structure at opposite sides-ofthe wheel vaxles-necessary for the-accommodation `of'parts of certain forms 'of brake riggingl and/ orl other mechanisms;`

The chief aim of 'my-inventionis to overcome this-drawback; which ldesideratum'I attain as hereinafter vmoreiully e disclosed; through provi-j sion --ofl a' `buffer means cornprisinga` pluralityfof separate and' independently=operable buier 'deLl vices 'fwh'ich are Acompact and Voi `suchform `that they canbelatedin'the intervalb'etween the" side frames of the Vrailway vehicles and yet allow' pear from the following detailed description Vof' the attached drawings,.wherein Fig; 1 'is a'fragmentary viewin horizontal section of a locomotive structure conveniently embodying the lateral motion buiTer means of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View taken as indicated by the angled arrows II-II in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view corresponding to Fig. 1 on a large scale with one of the component buer devices partly in section taken as indicated by the angled arrows III-III in Fig. 2.

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary detail sectional views likewise drawn to a larger scale and taken as indicated respectively by the arrows IV-IV and V--Vin Figs. 1 and 2.

With detailed reference rst more especially (cries-so) to Figs. 1` and 2 of these drawings, the numeral III designates one'ofthe drivewheel axlesofthe locomotivewhich is journaledl in roller' bearings I I 'enclosed withinv a l diametric'ally split l housing I 2-li As" shown the 'upper-f and lower'halvesiof this housing I2 are longitudinally anged-asfat I 3 and vI 4 :and-secured together ats'uitable intervals byfscrewl boltsI 5 passing through `the said flanges; In l the illustrated instance the housing I2 'comLA pletely-'enclses the portionlof the 'aXle- I0 in the intervalbetween the-drivers I'Band hasit'sopposite endsextending withclearan'cefabove' and below, through vertical openings IIin'theside frames I 810i 'the' locomotive At'opposit'ejsides' of its ends the housing` I2- is provided with-wear plates II9 which bear against channel sectionlin` ers-20 fitted over the vertical side edges of the openings I'I At2`| are'indicated the hangers of a spring suspension (not illustrated) for the shfafthcusing- I 2; The "housing I2is thus guided for vertical -movement in the side frames I8'and also has vvthe kcapacity to move endwise, i. 'e.'r, laterallyi relative to said frames togetherwith the shaftA and-wheel assemblage, thev latter in order to '-faclitate: travel rof the locomotive-on curved tracky sections 'in a well known manner. v

The novel means which I' have providedl f'o'r builing the lateral motion 'ofthe' axle 'bearing housingl2 comprises aplurality of independ-V ently-operable" buffer devices which are 'individ-V uallydesignated comprehensively bythe numeral 25j? These buier'devicesf''are identical incon-v struction so thatv thev i description vimmediately following will be confined to'one' ofthem with the understanding that lit applies tothe others aswell. Asshown 'each of the buffer devices 25 comprises a vbracket 'member' 26 with laterally and longitudinally projecting ears 2'I and 28.' The lateral ears 2l are-vertically spaced to span aperturedbosses 29'and 30 on the flanges I3 and I4 of the upper 'and' lower halves of'the bearingV housingV I2 *as best 'shov'vnin Figs.' 3-5, v'and the Y ears 28 "similarly spaced' 'to span apertured lugs 3| and 32 which4 extend outwardly from said housing halves as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4. A screw bolt 33 passing through registering apertures in the ears 21 and in the bosses 29 and 30 serves as a means for detachably securing the bracket 26 to the bearing housing I2, and at the same time aids in securing the components I3 and I4 of said housing together. From Figs. 2 and 3 it will be noted that the bracket 26 has a hollow body portion 35 which alfords an annular socket or retaining seat for one end of a helical compression spring 36 whereof the other are stops 45 which serve for a end" bears against the flange head 3'1 of a plunger 38 which is of rectangular cross section and guided for endwise movement between the lugs 3| and 32 on the bearing housing l2. A bolt 40 passing through registering apertures in the ears Y 28 of the bracket 26 and in, bosses 4| and 42 on the lugs 3| and l32 on the bearing housing .I2

` acts as a keeper'for .ther/plunger 38, which latter,

by action of the spring 36, is yieldingly thrust outward so as to normally protrude beyond the While I have, by way Yof example, illustrated and 'described my invention in connection with a locomotive structure, it is not to be consideredV as limited to such use, since 4by modifications within the scope of the appended claims, it can be adapted to other types of rail vehicles in which thejwheel axles 'are on/xedjcenters, 'without sacrice of theadvantages .hereinbe'fore pointed out.

sides of said lugs into close proximity to the inner- Y side flange of one of Ythe liners'28 inthe opening I1 of the contiguous side frame I8 of the locomotive, said flange being faced with Va hardened` inset wear plate 43. Attached tothe vbearing housing I2 above and below the lugs 3| and' 32 purpose presently explained. I

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1.Y Buier means fora railway vehicle wherein the portion of anvaxle between wheels rotates,A

within a' longitudinally split bearing housing which is shiftable endwise with the wheel axle relative to thesides of the frame of the vehicle Shifting of the bearing'housing i2 incix-ientk to y a leftward thrust, for example, upon the drivers I6 in enteringa curved sectionof the track; Will be attended by engagement ofthe. plungers 3,8 'of the buffer devices 25 at the left-hand side of Figs. 1 and 2 Ywith 4the wearplates 43 on the contiguous side flangesrof the liners A2i) -on the corresponding side frame I8 ofthe locomotive, As the plungers 38-recedeytheir movement will be gradually retarded by the lyielding but accumulating ,power ofthe buffer springs 36 so that the wheel-shifting action will take place without appreciable shock or noise. VIn the event `ofsuddenabnormal.lat-

eral thrusts of the wheels I6, the stops 45 at the left-hand 4side of Fig. l will contact the inner iianges of the linersv in the corresponding `frame. I8 and thus prevent excessive shifting of the bearing housing l2. -Thrusts of thewheels i6 inthe opposite direction will be absorbed in a like manner by the buier devices at the Yrighthandside ofFigs. 1 and 2. By reason of the compactness of the devices 2 5 and theinlocation immediately adjacent the side frames i8 it will be seen from .Fig 1 that substantial clearancesarev providedat opposite sides of the housinglz between the Ytransversely aligned` pairs of saidde- Vriiveso diSiJQSa 0f mOi/ing elements 0f,Y Certain types of brake riggingorrother mechanism which` for embodiment in the.`

may` begiound Vdesirable locomotive structure.

In rde Yto facilitate the individual application or removal'of theV butter devices 25, Ihave provided .each plunger 38 .attherear "with a tapped axialhole 46, and theback of the socket 351in 'thecorresponding bracket 26 with an axially aligned aperture '41. f` After passingl the shanklof ascrewrbolt, such as indicated in dotted lines at 48 in Fig. 3', throughthe aperture 41 and engaging it into the tapped hole 4B in the plunger 38," I draw up on said screw bolt to compress the spring 3rsuiiciently'toY relieve the clamp bolts 33 and 40 of strain, whereupon 'thelatter canr be readily `withdrawn and the buie'r 'device 25 removed asY aunit. Application'of therdevice is accomplishedbyreversal ofthe above procedure.

ing'member.f-, s

and which has itscomponents secured together `by securing bolts, said Ybuffer means comprising independently operable buffer devices respectively positioned adjacent corresponding faces of -the framesides, and each such device including a separately-attached abutment bracket with apertured projections adapted' for passage through them .of certain of the housingvconnecting securingbolts, a plunger guided inatboss on the house -r ing and arranged to engage'the contiguous face of the frame, and a resilient element in compres? sion between said abutment bracket and .said plunger. Y 1

2.V The` invention according to claim ll, wherein the resilient element is in the form of a helical spring, and wherein the abutmentbracket provides a socketed retaining seat forthe spring.

3. The invention according to claim .1, further including stop Yrneansfor engaging a plungerf guiding projection on the axle housing to limit the extent oiprotrusion Vof the-plunger. -f

. 4. The inventiondefined in claim l, wherein the plunger isprovided withailange which oo operateswith the guide boss on .the'axle housing to limit the extentof its protrusion. i

5. The invention according to claim -1, v wherein the bearinghousing is movable upand; down and has its'ends'slidablyngaged'lingvertical guideways ini the side drames, 7 vl'1 er e in liners Yof channel cross section are engaged over the side Y GUSTeifENT sev PARRE 

